Minimalism on the rise

Minimalism is a lifestyle choice that implies the promotion of the things we value most and the removal of everything that distracts from it.

It’s about owning less and living more. Everything you own needs some form of maintenance, cleaning and care, eating away at your most valuable resource, time.

Minimalism fans claim that this lifestyle reduces stress, mess, clutter and financial strain, to name but a few.

Minimalism is an attempt to balance the excessiveness of modern life as a result of consumerism. It counters the extent to which we have been brainwashed by corporations into believing that simply owning stuff will make us better people.

This is (possibly) why

Given the complexity of the human race it can be difficult to fully understand the rise and fall of trends, but here are a couple of reasons that are probably contributing to Minimalism’s growth in popularity.

Financial Strain

Worldwide economic forecasts are looking gloomy putting more and more pressure on finances all the way down to individual- and household budgets.Consumers from all walks of life are re-evaluating purchases in the light of budget constraints.

Recent trends also show that corporations are reducing the number of full-time employed workers in favour of contract workers.Consumerism largely relies on consumer debt, which favours a fixed income as opposed to a contract agreement.

Environmental Concern

Thanks to the tireless efforts of environmentalists around the world, society on all levels is becoming more aware of the negative effect that our excessive living is having on the environment.

Despite some conflicting arguments among experts on a number of ‘green’ topics, John Doe is starting to re-evaluate purchases in the light of the impact it will have on the environment and the future of generations to come.

Realisation that there is more to life

One of the main driving forces of consumerism is advertising agents constantly bombarding us with marketing messages. These messages are tailored to address our deepest fears, insecurities and needs, promising to make us more productive, more attractive, fitter, happier or more successful.

The majority of products out there, however, will not deliver what it promises, and leave us with huge amounts of debt to pay off and less time to achieve the goals that initially motivated us to buy the promised results.

Realising that stuff cannot fill the holes in our lives is a revelation that will leave you with less clutter, less debt, more cash in your pocket and definitely more living.Sounds like a bargain, don’t it?

And here’s how you can too

Don’t misunderstand this though. Minimalism does not suggest that you need nothing, it simply addresses the abundance of what we own.

In attempting this lifestyle you have to evaluate and narrow down what is really important to you and get rid of everything that does not support that.Easier said than done, but more about that later.

Interested in how you can explore more?Here are some great resources to start you off: